New Zealand’s most decorated Olympian, Dame Lisa Carrington, has been awarded the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s Lonsdale Cup for her achievements in 2023.

The Lonsdale Cup is the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s most prestigious honour and is awarded annually to the athlete or team that has made the most outstanding contribution to an Olympic or Commonwealth Sport.

It is the fourth time Dame Lisa has been awarded the Cup.

2023 was an exceptional year for the sprint kayaker, who won three world championship titles, individually in the K1 200 and K1 500, as well as with teammates Alicia Hoskin, Tara Vaughan and Olivia Brett in the K4 500.

“Dame Lisa is truly a once in a generation athlete and we’re thrilled to award her the Lonsdale Cup following another standout year in 2023,” says NZOC Board Chair Diana Puketapu.

“We’re extremely proud of her achievements and thank her for being a fantastic role model for young New Zealanders and especially young women.”

Dame Lisa thanks the NZOC for the recognition.

“The Lonsdale Cup holds so much history and to have my name there alongside some of New Zealand’s Olympic greats is pretty special," says Dame Lisa.

“It’s great to look back on the success we had last year, both individually and in the K4 where we made history. I’d like to thank all my teammates, my coach, Gordy, and Canoe Racing New Zealand for helping me to get to where I am.

“This really is a shared award and the success I have is only possible because of the work done behind the scenes by this team and by the team I share the boat with.”

At the Tokyo Olympic Games, Dame Lisa claimed a staggering three gold medals, taking her Olympic medal total to six, made up of five gold and one bronze.

The medal wins followed her success at previous Olympic Games. Dame Lisa made her Olympic debut at London 2012 where she claimed gold in the K1 200. Four years later she defended her gold medal and also won bronze in the K1 500.

Raised in Ohope Beach, the canoe sprint paddler is of Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and Ngāti Porou descent, and was judged as the most influential Maori sports personality of the past 30 years.

Dame Lisa is coached by Gordon Walker and is working towards the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, her fourth Olympic Games.

The Lonsdale Cup was first awarded in 1961, with Sir Murray Halberg the inaugural recipient.

Since then, it has been won by a host of inspirational New Zealanders who have represented New Zealand with pride and passion.

Past winners include Dame Valerie Adams, Sir John Walker, Barbara Kendall, Sir Peter Snell, Zoi Sadowski Synnott and many more.